Royal & Derngate is a theatre complex in the Cultural Quarter of Northampton, England, consisting of the Royal Theatre, Derngate Theatre and the Northampton Filmhouse. The Royal was built by theatre architect Charles J. Phipps and opened in 1884. Ninety-nine years later in 1983, Derngate, designed by RHWL, was built to the rear of the Royal. Whilst the two theatres were physically linked, they did not combine organisations until a formal merger in 1999; they are run by the Northampton Theatres Trust. The Royal Theatre, established as a producing house, has a capacity of 450 seats and since 1976 has been designated a Grade II listed building;^[1] Derngate Theatre seats a maximum of 1,200 and is a multi-purpose space in which the auditorium can be configured for a variety of events including theatre, opera, live music, dance, fashion and sports. The Northampton Filmhouse, an independent cinema built to the side of the complex, opened in 2013.

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Royal & Derngate

Main entrance
Address	1 Guildhall Road Northampton, Northamptonshire
Coordinates	52.2362°N 0.8936°W / 52.2362; -0.8936
Owner	Northampton Theatres Trust
Designation	Grade II listed (Royal)
Capacity	450 (Royal) 1,200 (Derngate) 90 (Filmhouse)
Current use	In-House Productions National Touring Productions Concerts & Music Events Comedy Shows Talks & Lectures
Construction
Opened	1884 (Royal) 1983 (Derngate) 2006 (Royal & Derngate) 2013 (Errol Flynn Filmhouse)
Rebuilt	1887 C J Phipps (fire) 2005 (refurbishment)
Architect	C J Phipps (Royal) Aedas RHWL (Derngate)
Website
Royal & Derngate website

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In 2005, both theatres closed for an 18-month £14.5m redevelopment. The theatres were merged into one complex, a creativity centre was constructed, and the two venues were totally refurbished. The complex reopened as Royal & Derngate in October 2006. From its reopening, Laurie Sansom was artistic director;^[2] under his tenure, The Stage hailed Royal & Derngate as The Regional Theatre of the Year (2010) in its inaugural Stage 100 Awards for "its artistic quality and connections it has with local audiences."^[3]

In 2013 James Dacre took over as artistic director. The Royal & Derngate was awarded the UK Theatre Management Award for Best Presentation of Touring Theatre for its Made in Northampton co-produced work in 2015 and the UK Theatre Award for Best Touring Production in 2016.^[4] It was shortlisted for the Regional Theatre of the Year Award again in 2016,^[5] and also nominated for Theatre of the Year in The Stage 2022 Awards.

In addition to staging and producing entertainment, Royal & Derngate also provide a programme of creative projects in its Underground space. This is the site of its Youth Theatre. It also presented chances for the local community to get involved in performing, writing and finding out more about what goes on behind the scenes.

The Royal Theatre was the first building of what now exists as the Royal & Derngate complex. The Royal, then called the Theatre Royal and Opera House, was built for John Franklin by Henry Martin and designed by renowned Victorian theatre architect Charles J. Phipps with mural artist Henry Bird.^[6] It opened on 5 May 1884 with a production of William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night.^[7] On the theatre's opening, The Stage newspaper reported:

No element of success was wanting to contribute to the superb triumph that crowned the opening of this new theatre; the audience which thronged every available part of the house, comprised the rank and fashion of the town and county, while the charming Thespian temple, fresh from the hand of the scene painters, gleamed everywhere with light and colour. The artistically designed scenery, the dress circle brilliant with blue and gold, the crimson rested chairs, together with the soft and delicate beauty of the ceiling and mural embellishment, were the theme of audible admiration from all parts of the house.

The theatre suffered damage from fire in 1887, and was restored by Charles J. Phipps. He was the original architect and also built the Savoy Theatre in London. The Royal's proscenium stage was widened in 1889. In the theatre's first four decades, productions of George Edwardes's musical comedies, operas, pantomimes, burlesques and melodramas were most popular. In 1927 the theatre became the home to the Northampton Repertory Players, and it has been run since as a producing house. It is supported by a workshop and wardrobe. Since 1976, The Royal has been designated a Grade II listed building.

Actor Errol Flynn made early appearances on the Royal's stage before embarking on his film career. For several months in 1933, he was part of the Northampton Repertory Players at the Royal.^[8] The Australian designer Catherine Harness was here in the 30s working with Thomas Osborne Robinson who was the decor and costume designer.^[9] In 1937 Osborne Robinson designed the costumes for Laurence Olivier at the Old Vic and despite a job offer he stayed in Northampton.^[10]

In January 1977, scenes for the Doctor Who serial The Talons of Weng-Chiang were shot inside the theatre.^[11] The serial was set in Victorian London and an authentic atmosphere was wanted for the theatre scenes. According to director David Maloney on the DVD commentary, the theatre was chosen because it had the nearest original fly gallery to London.

Derngate Theatre was added to the rear of the Royal, and was constructed on the former site of Northampton's bus station. Following its conception by Northampton Borough Council, RHWL designed the new theatre with Arup providing acoustic consultancy and engineering services.^[12] Building work started in the early 1980s. It opened on 4 April 1983 with an evening performance by singer Jack Jones.

Royal & Derngate welcomes over 300,000 audience members each year to see work in both stages and in the Underground space. 20,000 people a year also take part in over 700 creative projects. Over 20,000 people attended a free outdoor spectacular Crackers? by The World Famous at Delapre Park. Some 80,000 people enjoyed Made in Northampton productions (productions made in-house at Royal & Derngate) that toured throughout the UK.

In 2009, to celebrate its 125th anniversary, the theatres' season included a celebration of Britain's most popular living playwright, Alan Ayckbourn, a new show created with the funny company Spymonkey, and a Young America season, featuring two rarely seen plays by Eugene O’Neill and Tennessee Williams about young people in love. Royal & Derngate also toured co-productions of Kneehigh Theatre's Brief Encounter and, with Fiery Angel, The BFG. In addition, Royal & Derngate played host to some of the biggest touring shows in the country, including the UK premiere of English National Ballet's Angelina Ballerina's Big Audition and Rambert Dance Company, which has returned since the redevelopment.

The following year, the Young America season transferred to the National Theatre in London, winning a TMA Award and being nominated for an Evening Standard Award. In 2010, Royal & Derngate developed a new charity to provide not-for-profit management services for the complex; it also established another charity to operate Corby Cube, a new theatre in Corby.

In 2011, the R & G's production of End of the Rainbow was transferred to the West End and nominated for 4 Olivier Awards. In addition, Royal & Derngate was named the Regional Theatre of the Year in the inaugural Stage 100 awards. In 2015 Royal & Derngate was shortlisted for Regional Theatre of the Year in The Stage Awards, and won the UK Theatre Award for Best Presentation of Touring Theatre. In 2016 the venue won the UK Theatre Award for Best Touring Production.

The Northampton Filmhouse, formerly known as Errol Flynn Filmhouse until September 2018, is a cinema located in the Cultural Quarter of Northampton.The cinema has a capacity of 90 and is attached to the theatre complex. The cinema opened on 20 June 2013, the birthdate of Errol Flynn.^[25][26]

Due to the success of the Filmhouse, a second screen has been added to the site^[27]

• Listed buildings in Nottingham (Hyson Green and Arboretum ward)
• Michael Napier Brown